Work clamp and pallet combination

Abstract

A work holder pallet or fixture for carrying a workpiece from station to station in a sequential machining line in combination with a workpiece clamp loosely carried by the pallet in a manner to permit loading and unloading of the pressure and the application of pressure to a workpiece to hold it against the pallet with a force developed by the clamp without any distortion reaction forces on the pallet.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a machine tool fixture in which a workpiece is located and clamped, a clamping system comprising: 1. a frame,   2. one or more locator surfaces mounted on said frame positioned for contacting an associated locating surface on said workpiece,   3. one or more reaction surfaces, each associated with one of said locator surfaces and on said frame in a direction away from said workpiece and on an associated line of action substantially perpendicular to and passing through said associated locator surface, and in which a portion of said frame lies between each said reaction surface and said associated locator surface,   4. a deflectable clamping means associated with a locator surface and mounted in said frame through non-rigid support means and comprising: a. a first pressure means contacting said workpiece on said associated line of action of said associated locator surface,   b. a second pressure means contacting said associated reaction surface, and   c. force means interconnecting said first pressure means and said second pressure means operable to create a relative displacement between said first pressure means and said second pressure means substantially along said associated line of action.     
     
     
       2. A clamping system as defined in claim 1 which includes a non-rigid support means comprising an elastomeric bushing mounted in said frame and in turn mounting said clamping means whereby deflection in said clamping means are negligibly transmitted as bending loads to said frame, and consequently impose negligible deflections of said frame. 
     
     
       3. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said force means comprises a threaded member associated with one of said pressure means and a screw member associated with the other of said pressure means, whereby the rotation of said screw member relative to said threaded member decreases the distance between said pressure means. 
     
     
       4. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said force means comprises a cylinder member associated with one of said pressure means, and a piston member associated with the other of said pressure means, whereby the introduction of fluid, under pressure into said cylinder displaces said piston and decreases the distance between said pressure means. 
     
     
       5. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said force means comprises a spring connection between said pressure means biased to decrease the distance between said pressure means. 
     
     
       6. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said first pressure means comprises one end of a clamp beam whose other end bears locally against said frame on a secondary line of action substantially parallel to said associated line of action, and in which said second pressure means comprises one end of a reaction beam whose other end bears locally against said frame on said secondary line of action, and said force means comprises a screw connection between said beams on a line of action intermediate said associated line of action and said secondary line of action, and substantially parallel therewith. 
     
     
       7. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said force means comprises: 1. a body member non-rigidly mounted in said frame along a line substantially parallel to and displaced from said associated line of action,   2. a first cantilever member mounted on said body member and supporting one of said pressure means on said associated line of action,   3. a second cantilever member mounted on said body member and supporting said other pressure means, and a force member associated with said second cantilever member, whereby said first pressure means and said second pressure means are displaceable towards each other substantially along said associated line of action.   
     
     
       8. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said force means comprises: 1. a body member non-rigidly mounted in said frame along a line substantially parallel to and displaced from said associated line of action,   2. a first cantilever member mounted on said body member, a force member threaded into said first cantilever member on an axis substantially coincident with said associated line of action movable to actuate one of said pressure means, and   3. a second cantilever member mounted on said body member and supporting the other of said pressure means.   
     
     
       9. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said force means comprises: 1. a body member non-rigidly mounted in said frame along a line substantially parallel to and displaced from said associated line of action,   2. a first cantilever member mounted on said body member, a force member threaded into said first cantilever member on an axis substantially coincident with said associated line of action movable to actuate said first pressure means, and   3. a second cantilever member mounted on said body member and supporting said second pressure means.   
     
     
       10. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said force means comprises: 1. a body member non-rigidly mounted in said frame along a line substantially parallel to and displaced from said associated line of action,   2. a first cantilever member mounted on said body member and supporting said first pressure means, and   3. a second cantilever member mounted on said body member, and a force member threaded into said second cantilever member on an axis substantially coincident with said associated line of action movable to actuate said second pressure means.   
     
     
       11. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said force means comprises: 1. a body member non-rigidly mounted in said frame along a line substantially parallel to and displaced from said associated line of action,   2. a first cantilever member mounted on said body member and supporting one of said pressure means on said associated line of action,   3. a second cantilever member mounted on said body member,   4. a lever member pivotally mounted on said second cantilever member and mounting the other of said pressure means, and   5. screw means operating between said body member and said lever member to vary the distance between said first and second pressure means.   
     
     
       12. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said first pressure means comprises one end of a clamp beam and in which said second pressure means comprises one end of a reaction beam and the other end of one of said beams bears against said frame on a secondary line of action substantially parallel to and displaced from said associated line of action, and said force means comprises a screw member threaded into the other end of said other beam and acting on said secondary line of action and bearing against said frame, and said force means further comprises a tension member interconnecting said clamp beam and said reaction beam and passing through and non-rigidly mounted in said frame and acting on an axis substantially parallel to, coplanar with, and intermediate to said associated line of action and said secondary line of action. 
     
     
       13. A clamping system as in claim 1 in which said first pressure means comprises one end of a clamp beam, and in which said second pressure means comprises one end of a reaction beam, and in which said force means comprises a screw member threaded into the other end of one of said beams and bears against the other end of the other of said beams and wherein said screw member operates on a secondary line of action substantially parallel to and displaced from said associated line of action, and said force means further comprises a tension member interconnecting said clamp beam and said reaction beam and passing through and non-rigidly mounted in said frame and acting on an axis substantially parallel to, coplanar with, and intermediate to said associated line of action and said secondary line of action.